A lot of advice nowadays is about running an online store, but that doesn’t mean people have stopped selling things in person. But if you run a brick-and-mortar store, you are in competition with online businesses, as well as your neighbors. It’s essential that you make the most of the resources you have available to you in order to have the edge over your competitors. What you have that online stores don’t is the ability to let your customers see, feel and try out your products. So the first impression you make with how they first see the things you sell is of utmost importance. Try some of the strategies below to display your products in ingenious ways that will get people’s attention.
Focusing on Windows
The first thing a potential customer will see before they even have the chance to enter your store is your window displays. They play a vital role in bringing people inside and selling your products. If you want to keep people interested, you should change them semi-regularly and be creative in your designs. You don’t need to be too complicated, but your windows should make people stop, look and hopefully want to come inside.
Placing Items at Eye Level
Some of the basics of retail display can be difficult to get right. Many stores cram their space with products at every level, from the floor to the ceiling. But then items don’t receive any attention because they’re not in places where anyone would notice them. It’s important to display your wares in a way that’s eye-catching and pleasing, not overwhelming and confused. It helps to walk through the store and try to imagine that you are a customer. Think about where the displays are leading you, if it’s anywhere at all.
Displaying Difficult Items
It can be difficult to display some types of product because they don’t naturally stand out. Posters, for example, can’t only sit, rolled up, in a plastic bin. Small items such as rings and other pieces of jewelry can get lost among everything else. You should think of the ways in which you can show these products, so they stand out. Posters and even notices for the store can be displayed in snap frames, for example, which will emphasize their presence. You can buy ring display boxes to showcase a whole range of rings.
Emphasizing Last-minute Impulse Buys
One strategy for smaller items is to place them by the cash register. When you’re shopping, it may feel annoying to be offered last-minute purchases but it’s also an effective strategy. You’ve probably found yourself reaching for something just before you pay. This method encourages people to add one last thing to their purchases when they’re already buying something.
Incorporate Technology
For extra attention-grabbing displays, include a little bit of technology in them. It could be LED lights, moving parts in your window displays or even some sound.
You don’t need a huge budget to create attractive retail displays. But you do need some imagination and an eye for effective product placement.
Featured image credit: ShutterStock
